SoleSavy State of Sneakers Vol.1: The Real Problem in Sneakers

COVID-19 completely changed life as we know it. Many aspects of sneaker culture were traditionally performed in the real world, from lining up for drops to conventions. When the world went strictly online, it magnified that the real problem in sneakers today comes down to technological disadvantages.

People are slower than computers, period. If a retailer is doing little to nothing to prevent bots, you donâ€t have a decent shot at copping. With that in mind, here are the 4 biggest issues in sneakers right now, according to our [State of Sneakers Vol.1] survey. Leveling the playing field is a start, but it doesnâ€t stop there.

Mass Reselling*

Resellers purchase sneakers they have no interest in keeping and sell them for a profit, whether itâ€s because of potential value, or to subsidize their own purchases. In our [State of Sneakers] survey, only 5% of resellers say they buy shoes to wear. Curating and reselling has long been a part of sneaker culture, but in this case, weâ€re referring specifically to people whose intent is purely to make money off sneakers  —  typically through exploitation in the aftermarket process. 

*At SoleSavy, we are firmly against mass reselling and understand the obstacles it creates for everyday sneakerheads. In order to get a full, unbiased pulse on sneaker culture today, it was essential to collect data from everyone in the world of sneakers.

Bots

Bots are automated programs that can scoop up everything from concert tickets to sneaker drops in mere seconds. The proliferation of bots is a major challenge as they can buy up stock faster than any manual shopper. Even raffles have become more unfair due to raffle bots. Though some retailers tried making it harder for bots to work, they havenâ€t always been successful, which in turn has led to “smarter” bots. The dance goes on.

Some platforms, like Shopify, are working closely with retailers to design releases that circumvent bots, using skill-testing questions, tools like hCaptcha, or even unique websites that are only revealed at the time of release. Nikeâ€s collabs with stores like Union Los Angeles and A Ma Maniére have used these methods to great success.

Stock

In our [State of Sneakers] survey, 61% blame their copping issues on resellers, but just 24% blame brands, and only 3% blame retailers. Overall, there seems to be less coverage about brands creating artificial scarcity (weâ€re looking at you, Yeezy), since that scarcity contributes to hype, and about retailers “backdooring” shoes in large numbers for a profit.  Brands claim that backdooring is forbidden, but in reality, that banâ€s hard to enforce.

While some sneakerheads want brands to make hyped pairs more widely available, in the worst-case scenario (for the brands, at least), brands could produce more pairs, but find thereâ€s suddenly not as much interest, leading to a negative perception of the shoe, release, and brand itself. As it stands, brands are more than happy to call peopleâ€s bluff, and keep making their biggest releases as limited as they can.

Delays

By now, weâ€ve all heard the stories of chaotic shortages, shipping delays, and the overall supply chain crisis that has affected just about every industry in the world. In the nightmare of supply chain issues, itâ€s even hard for the big brands like JD Sports and Footlocker to get a clear picture of what is coming, when itâ€s coming, and in what quantity. 

Because everyone is fighting for limited-release products, botters are coming out swinging — not just in sneakers, but in everything from gaming consoles to campsites at national parks. Even Washington took notice: last December, Senate Democrats announced the Stopping Grinch Bots Act, a bill to combat the scalper market exploding through COVID-impacted supply chain issues.

Coping

Frustration after missing out on a pair of sneakers is natural, especially when a release is poorly executed or itâ€s a pair you have a sentimental attachment to. At Solesavy weâ€ve created an environment where you can cope, our community has each other’s back. Members are constantly throwing assists to other members after releases, we have a Slack channel for retail or less purchases as well, which is constantly populated with releases you may have missed out on. 

Like we said, weâ€ve got your back, weâ€ll make sure you have everything you need to cop on release day. Weâ€ve got release guides thatâ€ll provide times, dates, stock levels, and direct links to purchase.. We often host live release Zoom sessions, which provide detailed tutorials and information to give you the best chance at success. When it comes to release day, weâ€ve got everything you need to step up your game. Come on in.

The Method

The [State of Sneakers Vol.1] is one of the largest studies done on sneakers and the people who love them. To build the report, we surveyed 3,458 sneaker enthusiasts, collectors and resellers; hosted five focus groups with a total of 50 sneaker enthusiasts; completed 25 in-depth interviews; and collected over 500 hours of participant observation in various sneaker forums, subreddits and on SoleSavy. Check out the [State of Sneakers] and get better at copping.

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Read the full [State of Sneakers Vol.1.]